Orlando Vacation Planning Tips

Disney World Tips:

Keep an eye out for Disney's Pirate and Princess Party & other special events, check Disney's Calendar and Events pages .  Reserve dinner reservations in Disney early, most restaurants start taking reservations 6-12 months in advance, and many book up at that time!  Call 407-WDW-DINE to ask for specific characters, locations or themes, and book your date and time as soon as possible!  If this is your first trip to Disney, check out Disney's tips for you, here.  Returning guests still need tips, learn about the undiscovered Disney here!   Order Your FREE Disney World Vacation Planning DVD.  Before you go, make sure you order your own customized maps from Disney World.  Check out the crowd calendar, learn which days are the best to visit each Disney park, customize your own touring plan or view recommended plans unique for your family for each park, even buy the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World at touringplans.com!  

While on your trip, collect as many photos on your Disney's Photo Pass (given out free throughout the parks at photo stops), and when you come back visit www.disneyphotopass.com to order some of your favorites, or even create a PhotoMovie or Photo CD with your photos and your Photo Pass pics!  PhotoMovies are wonderful! For about $75 plus $20 per additional copy, you can put all your favorite photos on a video DVD complete with park themes, music, characters and much more, check it out, you will not be disappointed!

Traveling with Preschoolers can be a difficult task, but Disney makes it easy! Enjoy conveniences like baby stops where you can change and feed the baby in a climate controlled area, even purchase the little items you might need--like extra diapers!  You can enjoy Ride Swap, where one adult waits with children too young to ride, and does not have to wait in line again to go on the ride after the rest of the party returns!  Learn more about Magical Beginnings.  Also learn tips for families with Big Kids, Teens, Romance & Relaxation, Active Fun, Magical Gatherings and more!

Important Changes to Downtown Disney Area
at the Walt Disney World Resort

Universal Tips:
Print Universal Studios Brochure.

We don't recommend the meal deal, it allows you to only go to specified restaurants and use only a few meal choices (including hamburgers and chicken baskets), but although it is all you can eat, you can easily spend an hour each time in line, and can only get one meal per person with each trip up to the counter.  Disney's meal plan it completely different, and much more highly recommended, only if you have a small enough family to enjoy staying in the Disney hotels.  We do, however, recommend the Universal Express Pass, which is similar to Disney's fast pass but is good for the whole day on every ride!  And, make sure you take advantage of our specials on tickets, which currently include 7 day hoppers to Universal and Islands for just $90 per person!  Plan one day for each park, unless you have little children and decide to skip the rides they can not do, many of the rides require 42"+ some even taller, in which case you can complete most of both parks in one day.

Other Orlando Tips:

Don't forget to download and print a free Orlando Magic Card to receive great discounts! View Current Events In Orlando.  Also, check out USA Today's Tips.

Services, Our Trusted Partners:

Transportation from Orlando International Airport

Travel Insurance-Protect Your Investment & Your Family!

Kids Nite Out--Babysitting Services

Wholesale Attraction Tickets & Car Rental Discounts

Packing:

There are many things to consider when traveling to Disney and even Florida.  If this is a first trip for you, the first with little ones, or you are a Disney veteran, these tips should still be helpful for you! If you have any tips you would like to add to the guide, feel free to contact us with more ideas, and we'll add them!

When staying in a vacation rental, you can do laundry whenever you need, it is a great idea to pack light and only take 4-5 outfits even for a week or longer stay, per person.  Usually in seasons where the temperature is cooler at night than in the day, it is wise to bring mostly shorts/tee shirt sets and then maybe wear one pair of pants and a light jacket that is easily stuffed into a backpack and lightweight to carry all day!  I found some great convertible backpacks recently at Sierra Trading Post.  When buying from them, go to Mr. Rebates first, sign up for a free rebate account and then search for sierra trading post, to purchase great things like convertible pants (pants that have a zip-off leg to convert into shorts--so great for traveling!), other summer clothes, great walking/running sandals, backpacks and many other things you might need!   We recommend sandals for the kids, because there are many spots to play in the water, as well as rain showers througout the day quite often in Florida, so it is better for their feet, if they can dry!  Make sure you get good quality walking or running sandals, and bring band-aids in case they start to rub on their feet, put on the bandaids BEFORE they become blisters!

Here is a helpful list I have put together for my own family, you can customize it for your family:

A lightweight back back for each family member, containing sunglasses, a hat, light jacket (in the summer when night temps aren't that cool that won't be necessary), disposable camera for the kids, water bottle that you can refill with bottled water--I recommend buying a 6-24 pack of water bottles and freezing some the night before, plus a gallon or two of water you can use to refill the bottles.  One backpack should contain the other items you need like the camera, extra batteries, foaming hand sanitizer (also helpful to wipe down any rental strollers, etc), band-aids, maybe some light snacks like nuts/granola bars, etc, however plan at least one stop to go home for lunch or dinner if you have time.

If you are driving: Small travel bag for adults in the front seat with travel documents, valuables, snacks, paper towels, and anything else you need handy during the ride.  I also always prepare another bag like that for each row of seats including activity books, snacks (not drinks, those we plan 20 minutes before a stop!), any video games, crayons, sticker books, etc, that they kids would like to have.  I also have each child pick out a stuffed animal to cuddle with when they are at their destination (if they like), it also doubles as a travel pillow for the ride.  If they don't like that, they can just take a small travel pillow.  One Step Ahead has one that deflates to save space when not needed. Other great things to have for the ride are: an inflatable beach ball you can blow up to let the kids run around a bit at rest stops, so they can burn off some energy before getting crammed back into the car; juice boxes, gatorade, etc, that can be taken out just before a stop (about 20 minutes), before bathroom breaks! 

I usually give each child their own rolling back pack for their own clothes, to keep it simple, plus little bags can be strategically placed throughout the car if there is not enough cargo space!  If you are flying, you might consider consolidating all the kids clothes to one bag, however I also find it easier to give each of them their own bag to drag through the airport, instead of Mom & Dad hauling all of it!

Then, you will want a bag containing camera, camcorder, laptop if necessary and any other valuables you need to travel with.  Keep that handy so you can take it into the hotels if you have a long trip and need to stop halfway.  That isn't something to leave in the car overnight!  Do the same for your toiletries bag.  If space allows, include one change of clothes in that toiletry bag, to create a sort of "overnight bag" for the hotel room stop, so you dont' have to drag in all the suitcases.

I usually make up a bag of the items you need for the pool, as well as sandals, etc, however if you have room, you can put these items in each child's bag.  And, of course the big suitcases are for the adults and teens!  Still, try to pack light, only 4-5 changes of clothes is sufficient when you can wash them.

Planning the hotel room stops:

There are advantages and disadvantages to planning where you will stay, if your travel will be more than one day.  If you don't plan, you are up to the mercy of where the vacancies are, where you need to stop.  Many times, we have tried that route, and have found that the only hotels anywhere to be found were not exactly the ones we wanted, and found it difficult to even get through the night, however at midnight when your kids are tired and cranky, you need to stop, wherever you are!  If, on the other hand, you plan a halfway stop at a nice hotel, a brand you are familiar with and enjoy, you can mapquest it prior to the trip and you'll know when you will likely arrive at that location.  One of my favorites is the Hampton Inn on a budget, Hilton Garden Inn or Homewood/Embassy Suites for up to 6 per room by Hilton, any of the Hilton brand hotels are wonderful.   They have plush beds, fridge/microwave, usually free internet, and are most importantly CLEAN!  We can save you some money booking a room with Hilton, just give us a call or request that information when planning your vacation rental in Disney, we can arrange the Hilton location at the same time.  We will just need to know where you are starting, and how many hours you would like to drive the first day, we'll find you the perfect stop along the way for the best possible rate!  The only benefit to NOT planning your stop, is that you can sometimes get further than you planned, if you are "making good time", however usually it will be the reverse!  With Hilton hotels, though, you can usually call by 6pm the day of arrival to change or cancel a reservation, so you really are better off, in my personal opinion, to plan it!

Now, get packing...
Luggage Online--Best Buys
International Calling from $.05/minute from your cell phone-Gorilla Mobile
1-800-Pet-Meds Make Sure Your Pets Have What They Need Before You Go!
Shop for Travel Gear for Baby at Babies R Us
*Buy the Britax Regent here---5-pt harness car seat up to 80 pounds!!!
SafeGuardGo CarSeats Lightweight easy folding in their own travel bag!

Overstock.com free shipping on GPS, digital cameras and even clothes!